Lord of the Whistle?
by Sylvia Viridian
Summary: Digimon characters - including some new ones - in the LOTR plotline. RR, no flames, please. Wizardmon is Gandalf! Mild Takari and Taiora.
1. Author's Note

My apologies to fans of the characters used in this fic if it turns out disappointing; I'm still writing the second chapter, so I don't know yet. This is nothing but a really silly idea that occurred to me after I read Bored of the Rings, as I was reflecting on how some of my favorite characters(including one or two of my own invention) could easily go on the Fellowship quest. This, of course, started my brain turning, - a very dangerous thing to do! - and before I knew it, I had a list of who would play what character; and I only had to invent a couple digimon specifically for this story. So far, at least.  
  
I also apologize for the extremely long intro, but it is necessary, as it was with both LOTR and BOTR. Skip it at your own risk, because you may get confused while reading the story; don't say I didn't warn you!  
  
I am also ignoring all but seasons 1 and 02, purely because that's when I stopped watching the show(well, actually, I stopped watching it regularly in the middle of season 02, but that was because of time constraints, not lack of interest. I've mostly filled in the gaps, but if I forget anything important, TELL ME!)  
  
Anyway. So here's the cast of characters and who they represent, along with a brief intro for those few that need it:  
  
4 new digidestined: Freddy, son of Kari and TK; Samantha(but call her Sam or she'll kill you), the gardener's daughter; Mary and Peter, two of their friends who are always arguing and getting into trouble.  
  
Author's Note: These characters don't actually have digimon partners; that would make it too complex, and add too many unnecessary characters for me to keep track of. But their destinies are intertwined with that of the Digiworld, so, for lack of a better term, I call them digidestined. They are, of course, the four hobbits; if you can't figure out who's who amongst them, you've been living in a cave for the last couple of years, so go find a LOTR website.  
  
Aragorn I'm still working on, but I'll have him put together by the time he needs to enter.  
  
Next comes Wizardmon, as Gandalf. Yay! I changed this from the original characters. There will be some romance included for him.  
  
When I tell you that the one he gets involved with is a completely new digimon, once more, please don't get angry. I had the idea for these two before I realized how many Wizardmon/Gatomon fics there were. I had simply assumed that Gatomon's partner would be Patamon, as any romantic such as myself could see, even at the end of the first season, that Kari and TK were meant to be. But it didn't seem right to me that Wizardmon stay dead, or that he be left without a romantic partner. So I invented one for him. And without further ado, let me introduce.  
  
Verdanamon, the only known red-haired elf. :) She's taking the place of Legolas. There will be some differences between her in this story and in my other ones; only in this story will she leave the hood of her cloak down, because this is set in an alternate timeline from the one where she has nasty scars on the top half of her face. (Actually, this is set outside the usual Digiworld timeline, to avoid conflicts with other stories) I won't go into a full character expo here, because that would take too long, but there will be lots more stories to come; it's just that I haven't got her history or personality completely set in stone yet. Please bear with me if she goes through some changes, she's the most complex character I've ever invented, and I don't quite know what she wants to be. Ordinarily, she's a sorceress who uses green magic, but for this story, she's left her staff behind in exchange for a bow and a quiver full of arrows. I'm going to change the subject now, before this becomes an essay on who she is; just know that she was, in the other timeline, more hurt by Wizardmon's death than Gatomon was; at least Gatomon had found someone she could go to, while Verdanamon was left completely alone.  
  
Okay! *deep breath* Next I'm going to introduce Sauron, who simply has to be Myotismon. There's just no other existing digimon for the job, and I really suck at creating new bad guys. ;._.  
  
Yukio Oikawa is also back, and evil again: he's Saruman.  
  
The Nine Nazgul I'm still working on, but I think they'll be digidestined who got killed in the Digiworld through their own weakness ,i.e. the original seven if they hadn't managed to get out of Demidevimon's traps, plus Kari and Ken.  
  
I had a bit of a struggle over who to cast as Gimli and Boromir. Kyer gave me the idea to cast Ogremon as Gimli; this is more perfect than she could have known, as Ogremon and Verdanamon have a feud going anyway. I altered an old digimon for the other, and so I am proud to introduce Armorgazimon as Boromir.  
  
Whew! Now for the setting. Kari and TK have been married for years, and have, over that time, decided that they want to live the rest of their lives in the Digiworld. So they have planned, along with Wizardmon, their son Freddy, and their digimon, to return there on their next anniversary. They are known in the neighborhood for being kind but eccentric, and rich enough to indulge their eccentricities without bothering anyone. Their names are vaguely connected with "that business years ago" that everyone has tried very hard to forget all about. They are also known for throwing huge parties, and it is one of these that has been planned for the night of their departure. We join the family on the day of the party.  
  
Oh, yes, two more things: First, I am pretending that Kari found that whistle in the Digiworld, for the sake of the storyline, and because I couldn't figure out how to make a Digivice fit the model for the Ring; Second, I don't have any more connection with Digimon or LOTR than any other fan, so please don't sue me. Anyway, I never have much more than thirty bucks at a time, and rarely that much.:) (This probably has something to do with the fact that I'm only sixteen.)  
  
On with the show! 


	2. A big party

Chapter One: A Big Party or "You were supposed to leave QUIETLY!"  
  
Kari couldn't wait for the anniversary party to begin. They had all the plans laid out just perfectly; after the party, they would grab their packed bags and head for the nearest digi-port, just a short distance away. They were leaving all their stuff to Freddy, except a single laptop computer - even Kari's whistle.  
  
She paused at that thought, frowning. It wasn't like Freddy didn't deserve it, or would misuse it; already, at age 12, he was smarter than some adults. She just didn't like the idea of parting with it, somehow. It had been hers for so long, and she had been the one who tricked that creature out of it, and who discovered its powers; just placing it in your mouth made you invisible; she had tried to blow on it, but to no avail. But Wizardmon had said that it was dangerous, that it should pass to Freddy with the house and the rest of the goods.  
  
She sighed, then shook her head as if to clear it. After tonight, she could forget all about such things. Tonight, Freddy would stay here alone, then tomorrow his aunt and uncle Sora and Tai would come to stay with him and make sure he didn't have too much trouble. Other than herself, TK, their digimon, Freddy and Wizardmon, Tai and Sora were the only ones who knew about their plans. After they were gone, Tai had volunteered to explain to Matt exactly where they had gone, and keep him from panicking when he couldn't find them. Kari privately thought that Tai would have some trouble with that, but she knew that Sora would be there, and Sora could calm down anybody. Kari chuckled at the thought of what Tai would have to say to her doubting of his abilities, then turned her mind back to the party. There was so much more to be done!  
  
In the meantime, Freddy was sitting in his treehouse, equally anxious for the party. This was gonna be fun, way better than any of Mom and Dad's previous parties. For one thing, this party would have the best fireworks around: Wizardmon's! He had bustled about all week, muttering to himself and planning the display, somehow managing to seem both comical and dignified at the same time - a trick that few but he could manage. The neighbors, Freddy knew, were starting to whisper about "that strange man in the Halloween costume" that was hanging around, and to wonder about his intentions. Rumor said that he was a cultist, a strange fanatic with magical powers, as crazy as a loon, an eccentric but brilliant pyrotechnician, and many other, stranger things. They were close to the truth in some ways, but they never would have guessed what he really was.  
  
"Freddy!" His mother's voice cut through his musings, "Freddy! The guests are starting to arrive!"  
  
"Coming, Mom!" he called down to her as he reached for the ladder, knowing as he did so that he would have no more time to daydream until it was all over. Soon, he was caught up in the frantic but joyful rush of family and friends as they arrived, found places for their gifts, gave him their coats when he offered to hang them up, and filtered through into the main courtyard, where the party was getting off to a fine start.  
  
Finally, everyone had arrived, and once the last arrivals had had time to dance and chat for a while, dinner was served, followed by fireworks. Wizardmon's fireworks, were, naturally, spectacular, and once they were over, and the applause subsided, Kari and TK were expected to make a speech of some sort.  
  
Kari cleared her throat and began, "First, I'd like to thank you all for coming. The setting may be just right, but without guests to attend, no party amounts to much; therefore, thank you for your help making this party a success!" She waited for the laughter and applause to settle before continuing, "Unfortunately, I also have some less happy news to give to you." Her voice grew faint, and faltering, as the courtyard pavilion grew silent. "I. . . TK and I . . . We are leaving. We won't be back anytime soon. . . we are leaving now. . . Goodbye!" And with that, she grabbed TK's hand and slipped the whistle into her mouth, so that they both disappeared.  
  
The crowd was, understandably, thrown into confusion. Only a very few people were able to keep their wits about them - those that knew the plan - and even of them, Wizardmon was the only one who could get back to the house; the others were too busy trying to answer questions and calm people down. He slipped through the open door of the house just in time to see Kari and TK reappear.  
  
"Did you see their faces?" Kari exclaimed, giggling, "I haven't had that much fun in years!"  
  
"I'm not so sure it was such a good idea. The people out there are looking pretty worried," TK replied, peering cautiously out the window at the crowd.  
  
"Myself, I KNOW it wasn't a good idea," said Wizardmon, stepping forward.  
  
Kari frowned at him, "Oh, Wizardmon, don't be such a spoilsport. It wouldn't do to have them pestering us for a mailing address or something, now would it?"  
  
"You could have given them an email address. The letters would be delivered as actual mail in the digiworld," Wizardmon said, a little grumpily. "Oh, well. No real harm done, I guess. I can't blame you for wanting to use the whistle one last time."  
  
"Last time? Oh, that's right, I was supposed to give it to Freddy," Kari had been hoping that he would forget about that. "Where's that envelope?"  
  
"Right on the mantelpiece, where you left it," TK told her, sounding worried and confused.  
  
"Oh, yes, so I did. Thanks honey," she said reluctantly. Moving slowly, she reached for the envelope, and put the whistle inside, then put the envelope in her pocket. "There we go, safe and sound!"  
  
"Except you were supposed to put it back on the mantelpiece," Wizardmon reminded her gently.  
  
Now Kari looked confused. "Didn't I just do that? No, wait. . . it's in my pocket. Isn't that interesting. I think it needs to stay there. It came to me, after all, not to you. That's it, I understand now. You just want to wait until we're gone, then you'll take it and tell Freddy I left with it! You're jealous, because it came to me and not to you at all! But now I've seen through your evil plot! You'll never get the whistle, never!" She was frantic now, the light of madness clear in her eyes.  
  
Wizardmon opened his mouth to respond, but before he could come up with the words, TK stepped in and grabbed Kari by the shoulders and held her close.  
  
"Kari, listen to what you're saying! I know how you feel, but it's time to let go!" He pushed her to arms' length and looked into her eyes. "It's time."  
  
She nodded, tears in her eyes, and bit her lip. Slowly, slowly, she took the envelope out of her pocket, and held it out in front of her. For a long moment, she just stared at it; then, she opened her fingers and let it drop. As it hit the floor, the whistle slipped out of the unsealed end. Quickly, Kari turned away. When she looked back a moment later, she was cheerful again.  
  
"Well, that's done! Almost a relief, really. It was awfully foolish of me, making such a fuss over a small thing like that, when we're leaving Freddy things like the PC and the waterbed!" She turned to TK, "Come on, honey, let's get going. I can't wait to see all of our old friends again!"  
  
They turned and, grabbing their bags, said a quick goodbye to Wizardmon and made him promise to look out for Freddy, then left. Wizardmon watched them go, troubled somewhat by the night's events, and at the same time relieved that love's power could overcome this great evil. Finally, he turned back and sat down by the fire to wait for Freddy.  
  
************************************************************************ So, whatcha think? Please R+R, I know it's moving kinda slow, but if you'll recall, we need all this stuff, and the scene in LOTR took a lot longer. I'm working on Ch.2, titled: The One Thing or Don't Blow the Whistle On Me!  
  
Yes, all the chapters are going to have double titles, at least until I run out of ideas. 


	3. The one thing

Ch. 3: The One Thing or Don't Blow the Whistle On Me!  
  
When Freddy had finally said goodbye to the last guests, he went back up to the house. He sighed as he opened the door and quietly stepped inside. Looking around, he noticed Wizardmon sitting by the fire, muttering to himself.  
  
"They're gone, aren't they?" Freddy asked hesitantly. "It's hard to believe. . .but I'm glad, too. Mom was getting kinda weird. And anyway," he said more cheerfully, bouncing into a richly upholstered chair next to a table with a phone on it, "now I can invite my friends over whenever I want!"  
  
Wizardmon finally seemed to notice Freddy's presence. "Oh, you can, can you?" His tone was amused. "Your parents told me to keep an eye on you. And don't forget, tomorrow your Aunt Sora and Uncle Tai are coming to stay here with you. You'll have to talk to them if you want your friends to come over."  
  
"I know, I know. . .but Uncle Tai is cool, he'll let me have sleepovers all the time! Aunt Sora is a little strict sometimes, but she's nice too, and Uncle Tai will convince her. Or," he said with a sudden realization, "I could sneak out and go somewhere else with Mom's old whistle!"  
  
Wizardmon suddenly looked serious. "Don't, Freddy. That whistle is dangerous. I'm not sure what it is just yet, but it has very strong magic. Things like that shouldn't be used except as a last resort, even if the power in them is good. And I do not believe the power in that whistle is good.  
  
"I will be leaving soon, returning to the Digiworld. There are some things I need to look after. But you must *promise* me that you will not use the whistle. It must be kept secret."  
  
Freddy swallowed nervously. "All right, I won't use it. But. . .when will you be back?"  
  
"As soon as I can. Keep in mind that time runs strangely in the Digiworld, in relation to this one. It shouldn't take more than a couple months in the Digiworld, which could be days here - or years. I just don't know. But remember: I *will* come back.  
  
"Now then, what was it your mother told me to say? Oh, yes, be sure to brush your teeth before bed. And don't worry too much. This stuff is all just precautions. The whistle is probably just an oddity of the Digiworld. But in case it isn't. . .keep it safe." He stood and grabbed his staff. "I had better be going. Where's the computer?"  
  
Freddy showed him the "door", an image of a door on the screen of his computer. "Bye, Wizardmon!" he shouted as the digimon pixellated and flowed into the screen.  
  
"Until we meet again, Freddy," Wizardmon's voice came over the computer's speakers, as the door opened, revealing a house with a lovely garden. . .sitting at the bottom of a lake. The door closed, and the computer glowed white briefly, then shut itself down.  
  
Freddy yawned. Glancing at the digital clock mounted on the wall, he saw that it was after one o'clock. Sleepily, he climbed the stairs to his room, and put on his pajamas. As he crawled into bed, he was too tired to even begin thinking about the day's events, and he was asleep before his head hit the pillow.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
So, whatcha think? Sorry this took so long, I was on vacation with little or no access to a computer at any time. I'd like to thank all those who have reviewed, and I fervently hope to have more people to thank soon. (hint, hint) Also, I'm sorry this chapter is so short. If I had continued, it would have gotten way too long before I reached a stopping point. The next chapter involves mild Taiora and gifts for friends and family. I haven't decided on a title yet. 


	4. Back to Reality

Thanks so much to my reviewers! I'm so happy, I decided to give you the rest of the chapter earlier then expected.(I also have some free time, since it's the beginning of school and the teachers aren't giving much homework yet.) So don't get spoiled, I'll probably take a month between updates in most cases. Maybe longer; this isn't the only story I'm working on.  
  
Disclaimer: Roses are red, Violets are blue, I don't own Digimon, So please don't sue. (I don't own LOTR, either, but I couldn't get that to rhyme.)  
  
Chapter Three: Back to Reality or The Morning After  
  
In the morning, Freddy woke to the smell of pancakes and bacon. He was immediately wide awake.  
  
"Food!" he exclaimed, leaping out of bed. In seconds, he was sitting at the table, awaiting his breakfast. His aunt Sora was cooking, while his uncle Tai was sitting reading the comics.  
  
"Goodness!" Sora laughed, "You were right, Tai; food really CAN do what noise won't."  
  
"I told'ja so," Tai replied jovially, "Freddy here inherited my appetite!"  
  
"What are you guys talking about?" Freddy inquired suspiciously.  
  
"Look at the clock, kiddo. It's almost ten!" Tai told him.  
  
"We got here around seven, and we've been trying to wake you up ever since," Sora explained, grinning, "Finally, your uncle suggested we make some breakfast, something that you could smell. And sure enough, as soon as it started to smell like pancakes in here, you woke up all on your own." She heaped his plate full of pancakes. "So, eat up!"  
  
Freddy dug in. "Yum! Ghish'sh ghelishush!" he said with his mouth full of pancakes. He swallowed, then said, "So, what's up for today?" He was hoping that Mary and Peter could come over later.  
  
"We-ellll. . .there's lots of thank-you notes to be written, distraught relatives to be reassured, gifts to be distributed - your parents left you most of their stuff, but some of their friends and family have special presents. Then. . ." Sora continued listing chores, counting them off on her fingers.  
  
"Oh, man!" Freddy groaned, "Uncle Tai?" He looked beseechingly at his uncle.  
  
"Sorry, sport, I'm afraid she's right. But don't look so depressed, I'll help you with the relatives and the thank-yous, and I think you'll find the gifts won't be so bad."  
  
Uncle Tai was right. It took weeks to get the thank-you notes out, and longer to get people calmed down, but the gifts were almost fun. Most of them didn't have tags, and Freddy liked the challenge of figuring out who they were for. Some were easy; the autographed copy of "The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide"(A/N: That's a compilation of all the Hitchhiker's Guide books in one volume, for those who don't know.) and the books on computers could only go to Izzy, while the gift certificate for a complete facial and manicure at one of the finest salons in New York *must* be for Mimi. But others were a little stranger. Freddy wasn't sure about the noodle recipes and high-tech running shoes, but they were tied together, so they must be for the same person. He couldn't even *begin* to guess who the bubble- blowing kit was for. There were several kinds of soap - regular, edible, and unpoppable - and more bubble wands than Freddy could count, of all shapes and sizes. Strangely, there were no bubble guns or anything else that included a fan. All the bubbles had to be blown the old-fashioned way. Finally, there were a couple books on mixing your own bubble soap, and one on the 'philosophy of bubble-blowing'. (A/N: Free (imaginary) blackberry cheesecake to anyone who can guess who these last two are for!)  
  
Fortunately, Uncle Tai helped out with those, too, and they were quickly taken care of. After that, Freddy had nothing to do but play with his friends until school started. He and Sam, Mary, and Peter had lots of fun and got into lots of trouble, and there was almost always a sleepover somewhere. Freddy was soon swept up in the currents of everyday life, and nearly forgot about the strange events of the night of the party. Once in a while, he would wonder what Wizardmon was up to, but he quickly dismissed the thought. Wizardmon would return exactly when he decided to, and not a minute before, and worrying about it wouldn't do any good. Most of the time, the whole thing seemed like a strange dream.  
  
When school finally started, Freddy began to stand out a little bit. He was more thoughtful and intelligent than most of his peers. Mary and Peter started to show him all of their plans before they put them into action, because he was so good at spotting the flaws they had missed. He was never bullied, but the other kids - except his best friends - tended to see him as a little odd, and some of them avoided him.  
  
Still, for the most part, Freddy had a pretty normal life for the better part of a year. Then, one night a few weeks before school ended - and a month before his parents' anniversary - a thunderstorm appeared out of nowhere. The lights flickered every time lightning flashed, then went out completely.  
  
Freddy shivered. His aunt and uncle had gone out to dinner, so he was home alone. Normally, he wasn't afraid of the dark, but now he was on his own in the middle of a creepy thunderstorm, and he didn't have anything to keep his mind off of it. He wished that he could at least have the computer back.  
  
As if in response to Freddy's thoughts, the computer's lights flickered on weakly, and it made a faint, sickly beeping sound. Freddy jumped about three feet in the air, then backed carefully away. The lightning flashed again, briefly illuminating the room, and when it was gone, Wizardmon stood in the place where Freddy's chair had been a moment before. He looked around nervously, then spotted Freddy.  
  
"Freddy! Do you have it? Is it safe?" When Freddy nodded mutely, astonished, he continued, "Show me!"  
  
"I-it's in my room, upstairs," Freddy stammered, then ran up to get it.  
  
When he returned, Wizardmon had a roaring fire built in the fireplace, and a window open for some fresh air. Freddy handed him the envelope with the whistle, which Wizardmon immediately cast into the flames.  
  
"Hey! What are you doing?! It'll melt!"  
  
Wizardmon made no reply, but waited a few seconds longer, then took the tongs and grabbed it out of the fire. Freddy saw that the whistle was unharmed, not even blackened, although the string it was on had burned away. Wizardmon moved it toward him, as if to drop it in his still-extended hand. Freddy pulled back, afraid of getting burned.  
  
"Go on, take it. It isn't hot at all," Wizardmon said.  
  
Freddy stretched out his hand tentatively, and Wizardmon dropped the whistle into his palm. The first thing Freddy noticed was how very cool it was for something that had just been in the fire. Then he noticed how much heavier it was than before. It was as if the thing had gained weight instead of heat.  
  
"Are there any marks on it at all?" asked Wizardmon anxiously.  
  
Freddy looked closely at it. "No. . ." he said. Wizardmon looked relieved. "Wait. . ." Freddy continued, ". . .there's some sort of Digi-runes on it in red lettering. . .I can't tell what it says. . ."  
  
Wizardmon looked very weary. "Most people can't. They mean 'This is Lord Myotismon's whistle. Return it to him or suffer the consequences.'. Meaning not death, but a lifetime or more as his slave."  
  
Freddy shuddered, "I can believe that. I've heard enough stories from Mom and Dad. But. . .they defeated him. . .right?" Freddy looked like he had guessed what the answer would be, and wanted reassurance that he was wrong.  
  
The little Data wizard sighed. "I was afraid of this before. Of all evil Digimon, Myotismon has shown the greatest propensity for coming back from the dead, and now I know why. His power is embedded in this whistle, and until it is destroyed, he cannot be killed."  
  
Freddy sat utterly still for a moment. Finally, he said, with false cheerfulness, "Well, then, now that we know, it'll be easy! I'll get a hammer!" He started to get up.  
  
Wizardmon looked at him, one eyebrow raised. "Freddy, you aren't fooling anyone. You know it won't be that easy. It must be taken to the top of the Dark Mountain, where it was made. It will be a long, hard journey. I won't ask you to bring it any farther than Gennai's house, where there will be a meeting to decide what will be done."  
  
Freddy looked much happier. "All right, when do I leave?"  
  
"As soon as school gets out. I will try to be back in time to see you off, but if I'm not, don't worry. And don't wait for me! Even this portion of the journey could be dangerous, and becomes more so the longer it is delayed."  
  
"Then I'll have to go alone," said Freddy staunchly.  
  
"No! Goodness, no! Take someone with you, someone you can trust. Someone who-. . ." he paused for a moment, looking alarmed, then motioned Freddy away from the open window. As Freddy complied, Wizardmon crept up to the window quietly, staff in hand, and used the staff to stab at the rosebushes under the windowsill.  
  
"OW! Hey, watch it!" said a voice - a girl Freddy's age by the sound.  
  
Wizardmon grabbed her and pulled her inside, ignoring her protests. The girl was Freddy's height, wearing dirty overalls, an old t-shirt, and gardening gloves. In her hand was a pair of pruning shears, and she had many scratches from the rose thorns. Freddy, catching a glimpse of her face, realized that it was his friend Sam!  
  
"Samantha Green, why were you eavesdropping on out conversation?!" Wizardmon thundered.  
  
Sam squirmed in the Digimon's grip. "I wasn't! I was just pruning the roses under the window! Leggo!" She glared at Wizardmon, "And my *name* is *Sam*!"  
  
Freddy chuckled at the sight. "Oh, Wizardmon, let her go. She's my friend."  
  
Wizardmon scowled, but put her down, saying, "I still want to know why she was listening in."  
  
"So do I, actually," Freddy admitted. "Well, Sam? How about it?"  
  
Sam blushed a little in embarrassment. "Well, I was coming over to see if you were okay, what with the storm and all, and I heard voices from the open window. I came over to look in and see if there were burglars or something, and I heard you guys talking about the Digiworld. . .and I just had to listen. I've always wanted to go to the Digiworld, like your parents did, Freddy. That's why I listened." She suddenly looked nervous. "Don't let Wizardmon turn me into a squirrel or something."  
  
Wizardmon now looked mildly amused. "Well, I can hardly ignore such a humble request. But at any rate, I have a better idea. Sam, you are to accompany Freddy on his journey to Gennai's house."  
  
Sam looked as if she had discovered that her teacher had canceled a math test in order to have a pizza party. "Me?" she squeaked, "Go to the Digiworld! Really? Thank you, sir!" She ran up and hugged Wizardmon so tightly his eyes bulged out.  
  
"Oof. . ." he managed.  
  
Sam realized she was strangling him. "Oops, sorry!"  
  
Freddy grinned at her, "I'm glad you're coming, Sam.  
  
**************************************************************************** **************  
  
End Chapter 3! Please review! Next time, a lovable duo gets in on the act. We'll meet the prince and princess of pranks, Mary and Peter! But my carpal tunnel's really acting up now, so I better quit. See ya! 


	5. A conspiracy is formed

I'm back again! Reviewer responses are at the end, so that you can skip them if you like. This chapter is kinda short, but they'll be getting longer from here on out.  
  
Oh, and the gifts were for Davis and Ken respectively.  
  
Disclaimer: Why do I have to do one of these at the start of every chapter? Oh, well, here goes: The digimon and human characters you recognize are not mine; the ones you don't may be mine, or may be ones you've never heard of. Any resemblance to real people is, except in a few cases, unintentional. Resemblance to LOTR characters is quite intentional, I assure you. I don't own LOTR either; I'm just a fan. That's why they call it FANfiction.  
  
Now, on with the show!  
  
Chapter 4: "A conspiracy is born" or "With friends like these..."  
  
The next few days, Freddy found it harder than usual to concentrate on school. Sam was constantly by his side. He took to staring at his favorite places, wondering if he would ever see them again. He was so distant, in fact, that his friend Mary couldn't help but notice it.  
  
"Hey, Peter," she said to her frequent companion at lunch one day, "What do you suppose is up with Freddy?"  
  
"Whatcha mean?" responded Peter through a mouthful of food. "Y'oughta try this cheeseburger, Mary, it's something else." He considered for a moment, "Not quite sure what it is...but it definitely ain't a cheeseburger."  
  
Mary looked at him disgustedly, "Peter, only you could say something like that about your food and still be eating it."  
  
"Hey, I didn't say it was *bad*," Peter pointed out, "Just that it isn't a cheeseburger."  
  
Mary rolled her eyes eloquently. "Anyway, as I was *saying*, Freddy's been rather odd these last few days. Staring at familiar sights as if he's never gonna see them again, muttering to himself, going about in a kind of a trance...do you suppose he's running away?"  
  
Peter snorted. "Don't be stupid," he said, "What's he got to run away *from*? His aunt and uncle are perfectly nice, he's rich, and he's always seemed happy enough. Why in the world would he leave?"  
  
Mary thought for a moment. "Maybe it's not what he's running away from...maybe it's what he's running away to."  
  
"Huh?" asked Peter intelligently.  
  
"His parents, doofus! They disappeared last year, remember? There was a huge ruckus about it, it made all the papers. Maybe he's going to go join them."  
  
"Hmp. And maybe he's going somewhere far away for vacation. Or maybe it's your imagination."  
  
"Well, I know how to make sure, one way or the other," Mary replied, grinning.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"We'll ask Sam! She always knows everything that goes on up there at his house."  
  
Peter remained skeptical. "But what if she won't tell us?"  
  
"Oh, I think we can persuade her somehow," replied Mary loftily. Actually, she had no more idea than Peter how Sam could be persuaded to tell if she didn't want to. Sam was known for being very loyal, especially when she had a secret to keep.  
  
Fortunately, Sam, once approached, was more than happy to tell them what was happening. "After all, Wizardmon said to take trustworthy people along. It'd be kinda lonely with just me and Freddy, and I know you two won't tell anybody about this." She then proceeded to explain to them the whole series of events from a few nights before.  
  
"I *knew* he was up to something! Let's figure out how to get Peter and me into this," Mary said when she was finished.  
  
"Actually, I have an idea," said Sam, "Here's what we'll do..."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Aaack! It's the dreaded cliffhanger! Just remember, the more you review, the faster you get new chappies! See the pretty purple button? You like the pretty purple button. It's a nice button, and makes authors very happy.  
  
Here's responses to all the people who clicked the pretty purple button last chapter:  
  
Kyer: Right on the first one, but remember that one episode where Ken and his brother are blowing bubbles, and his brother tells him that he's so gentle, he can blow really big bubbles? That's when Ken realizes that he has the crest of Kindness, so I figured bubbles would be a perfect gift. And I know what you mean; "Myotismon's whistle" still cracks me up on occasion.  
  
Jadax: YES! You got it! Noodles and shoes for Davis, and bubbles for Ken! Good job! *hands out blackberry cheesecake*.  
  
Witchmon: Um, I hadn't really thought about what the kids look like; just use your imagination. I might include details later on if they seem important, but other than that, I won't interfere with people's mental images. If the gifts were for digimon, Kari and TK would have taken them, instead of leaving them for Freddy to distribute. And yes, the pairing is Wizardmon/Verdanamon.  
  
Elendil Star-lover: Nope, sorry. See the answer I gave to Witchmon about the gifts.  
  
Thanks, everyone! And if I have any lurkers, just let me know you exist, it gives me inspiration to get this stuff typed up, instead of letting it sit in my notebook for months. See ya next chapter! 


	6. With Friends Like These

Hey, there, everybody! Sorry it's been a while, but I've been busy with school and related events. We just finished the fall play, for which I helped run crew and construct sets. But now it's done, and I'm back to typing in my spare time. So here's the next installment in Lord of the Whistle!  
  
Disclaimer: Oh, you know.  
  
Ch. 6: With Friends Like These  
  
Freddy woke up one morning and sighed. Today was the last full day he would spend here. It was the last day of school, usually a cheerful event - but he felt nothing except nervous apprehension.  
  
Someone knocked on his door. "Heya, sport, you up yet?" his uncle Tai asked.  
  
Freddy grumbled and rolled over. "Yeah, I'm up, I'm up. Be out in a sec."  
  
"Okay, just makin' sure."  
  
Sighing again, Freddy got out of bed. He dressed, and went downstairs for breakfast. As he entered the kitchen, his aunt Sora looked up from her meal.  
  
"Good morning, Freddy! How are you? Excited for the last day of school?" she asked brightly.  
  
Freddy tried to grin. "Yeah, it'll be great to be on vacation." Then he turned bitter, "Not that I'll have one."  
  
She got up and went over to him. Putting her arm around his shoulders, she said, "I know how you feel. I wish you had more of Tai's personality; he always thought it was a fun adventure being in the Digiworld. You're like me, though, aren't you? I was always worried about all the things that might go wrong; but you know what? In spite of all the hardships, in spite of all the sorrow and all the pain...it was the best thing that ever happened to me. And anyway," she said, now smiling a little, "you at least *know* when you're going. We just sort of got yanked out of our world and into another, with no warning at all!"  
  
Freddy smirked. "Yeah, I suppose I am better off than you guys were, and you all survived just fine. I shouldn't be so worried."  
  
"That's the spirit! Now come on, your cereal's getting soggy."  
  
+ * * *  
  
The school day went by in a blur. Freddy was so preoccupied, he didn't even notice the looks Mary, Peter and Sam were giving him, or the explanations they were giving to classmates who were curious about his strange behavior. When the bell rang, Mary and Peter looked at each other once, and ran over to Freddy.  
  
"Hey Freddy, Sam told us you were going on a long vacation!" Mary said, "Can we come over and help you pack?"  
  
"Hm? Oh...sure." *I wanted to talk to them anyway. They deserve to know where I'm going.* He didn't see Mary's wink to Sam.  
  
When they got to Freddy's house, he opened the door and shouted inside, 'I'm home!" There was no response. "They must be out somewhere. Come on in."  
  
Mary and Peter led the way upstairs to Freddy's room, with Sam and Freddy coming behind at a more sedate pace. Freddy stopped at a hall closet instead, and pulled out a pair of hiking backpacks which were stuffed with supplies and clothing, one for himself and one for Sam.  
  
Mary was already rooting through his closet. "All right, so you'll want beach clothes, a few warmer outfits in case the nights get chilly, a formal outfit for when you go to a nice restaurant for dinner..." She paused and stuck her head out the door. "That sound about right, Freddy?" she asked, knowing full well that it didn't.  
  
"Um, well, actually...I have something to tell you guys. You see..." he faltered. How could he explain it to them? "I, uh..." He stopped, unable to find the words.  
  
"Mind if I make it easier for you?" Mary asked gently. "You're going on a long trip, all right, but not to a nice beach resort, not even to another country. You're going to another world. You'll be traveling through the wilderness, never sure of survival until the next day, let alone until the end of your journey. You'll be in the shadows, moving from danger to danger, and you don't know how to tell us that you're going but we can't come." She looked at Freddy squarely, waiting for a response. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before finding his voice.  
  
"H-how did you know?"  
  
"I figured out part of it, then confronted Sam. She filled us in on the rest."  
  
Freddy gave Sam a look, to which she responded with a little shrug. "I see," he said finally. "So, then, you understand what's happening, and why you can't come with me. It's too dangerous."  
  
Peter responded this time. "Oh, we understand what's happening, all right. You're trying to be all noble and self-sacrificing, and run off without us into terrible danger, and we aren't going to let you!"  
  
Freddy shook his head sadly. "But I have to go, don't you see? The fate of the world depends on it."  
  
Mary rolled her eyes. "Of course you have to go, you idiot! That's not what we're saying!"  
  
"Then..."  
  
"What we're *saying*," Peter finished, "is that you won't be leaving us behind. We're here to let you know that we understand what's happening, and that there's nothing you can do to stop us from coming."  
  
Sam nodded, saying, "After all, Wizardmon said to take friends that you can trust."  
  
Freddy snorted. "And who would those people be? Clearly, I can't even trust you, Sam! It was supposed to be a secret!"  
  
Mary broke in as Sam reddened. "Now that's not fair, Freddy! We're your friends! Of course you can't trust us to let you go wandering off on a quest without proper companionship! But you can trust us to stick with you through thick and thin, and to keep your secrets...better than you can!" She crossed her arms and leaned back a little, waiting for Freddy's response. She expected him to explode in anger, and to insist even further that they couldn't come.  
  
Freddy surprised everyone by bursting out laughing. "It looks like I'm stuck!" he told them between chuckles, "Here I was, worrying about how to break the news to you, and constructing all these arguments about why you have to stay behind, and not only do you break the news to me instead, you counter my arguments before I can make them! And I'm glad. I didn't really want to leave you two behind. I suppose we'll all go together, then. Call your parents, and let them know. If they need convincing, I'll have my aunt Sora talk to them, she could convince a tiger to turn vegetarian."  
  
Just then they heard the door open and shut, and voices came from downstairs. "Hey, Freddy, you here?" Sora called.  
  
"Up here, aunt Sora!" Freddy shouted back down. "Who's with you?"  
  
"Your uncle Tai, and a couple of your parents' friends. Come on down!"  
  
There was a minor stampede as the four children rushed down the stairs. Tai and the guests were standing in the living room; Sora, despite the guests' protests was hanging up their coats.  
  
Tai looked up from the conversation. "Wow, are all you guys going? That's great! The more the merrier in the Digiworld, and there's safety in numbers." Freddy sweatdropped. "Anyway, I'd like you to meet Ken and Yolei, of the second wave of Digidestined. Ken, Yolei, this is Freddy - you've met him before - Sam, Mary and Peter. These three are his friends who will be traveling with him, although I didn't realize these other two were coming along." He looked quizzically at Freddy.  
  
"Neither did I, until a little while ago," Freddy said, "They told me not long before you arrived."  
  
Sam was gaping at their distinguished guests. "Wow! It's nice to meet you guys, I've heard so much about your adventures from Kari and TK!" she gushed. Ken and Yolei looked at each other, Yolei amused, and Ken embarrassed.  
  
"I'm glad to hear it!" Yolei replied.  
  
"And I'm sure we'll be hearing about your adventures soon," Ken added.  
  
Sam practically glowed with pride. "Anyway," Tai continued, "this isn't just a social visit. Are you guys packed?"  
  
"We are!" Mary and Peter said in unison. Freddy gave them an odd look before responding.  
  
"I am," he said.  
  
"Me too," Sam put in.  
  
"Good! Let's head on over to the computer, and we'll send you off!" The whole group trooped over to the computer.  
  
"Now remember," Sora said, "you'll arrive in the part of the Digiworld parallel to this point in our world, so you'll have a few days' journey to get to Gennai's house. You have enough food, right?" she asked anxiously.  
  
"Yes, I made sure we would," Freddy told her with the air of patience one directs at someone who is worrying too much.  
  
"All right then! Be careful!" Tai said.  
  
Ken and Yolei opened the Digiport. "Follow your hearts," Ken instructed them.  
  
"And have fun!" Yolei added.  
  
"E-mail us when you get to Gennai's house," Sora told them as she ushered them forward, "Now, go on! And Freddy, say hi to your parents from all of us!" she called after them as they disappeared into a land of swiftly swirling data.  
  
"I will!" he called back, just before he vanished completely, and succumbed to the pull of the maelstrom that would bring him to the bizarre wonderland known as the Digiworld.  
  
****************************************************************************  
  
So, what do you think? Review, please! And no lurkers allowed! (Lurkers are people that read stories or newsgroup forums, but never review or post.) Just let me know how many readers I have, it helps inspire me to new heights of guilt for leaving you in the dark for so long. Guilt levels increase over time, and when they reach a certain point, I type out another chapter, usually in one night. The guilt is multiplied by the number of reviewers, so the more reviews I get, the faster I post! I'll be putting up the next chapter soon, titled: Into the Digiworld or Dark Encounters, in which we'll be seeing the "Ringwraiths" and some "Elves".  
  
Nina: Good. I can't wait to try out my new toys.  
  
Lily: And I get to have some fun with Digimon that share my name, and drive away those nasty evil things. So there! 


	7. Into the Digiworld

Hi, everyone! Sorry about the long delay; life gets in the way, I'm afraid. Most annoying, this business of having a life. They're so much work to maintain. Also, my muses aren't very interested so far in parts of the story, and I'm kind of at their mercy when it comes to writing. I like to stay a couple chapters ahead, but right now I'm stuck at the house of Demipiximon. Once I've slogged through that and the Bakemon (Barrow-wight) scene, we'll be at the sign of Digitamamon's Diner, and it'll go faster. Now that I've given you that little sneak peek, on with the show!  
  
Oh, yes, I don't own Digimon or LOTR, but I do own the four children.  
  
Ch. 7: "Into the Digiworld" or "Dark Encounters"  
  
After a dizzying ride through the space between dimensions, the foursome landed in a heap. Looking around, they saw that they were in a forest, on a path. They got up and dusted themselves off quickly.  
  
"Wow, what a ride!" said Peter, "Let's do it again!"  
  
Mary glared at him. "No."  
  
"Thanks, Mary," Freddy said with a smile. "Now then..." He pulled out a map that Sora had drawn them. "Looks like Gennai's house is...that way," he said, pointing. "Let's go!"  
  
They marched along, Mary and Peter bickering quietly about how far they should go in one day, Freddy and Sam in companionable silence. Suddenly, Freddy stiffened and halted. Peter bumped into him, and worked the new development into his argument without missing a beat.  
  
"See, Mary? Freddy agrees with me. We should save our strength by traveling short distances, with frequent breaks."  
  
Mary ignored him. "Freddy?"  
  
Sam was looking worried. "Freddy, are you okay?"  
  
"Something's coming," Freddy whispered, "I can feel it..." He paused a moment, then hissed, "Get off the road!"  
  
Quickly, they hid themselves in the bushes. A moment later, they heard footsteps on the road. From around the corner came a sinister figure. Freddy gasped as he saw her; he recognized Sora's face, though she seemed to be much younger. Dressed all in black, with more piercings than he cared to count, something about her sparked anger in the children. Freddy found that he wanted nothing so much as to put the whistle in his mouth, then slip behind and strangle this abominable creature, this horrible mockery of his beloved aunt. Before he knew it, the whistle was in his hand, and moving toward his mouth. Sam saw him just in time, and knocked it away. The creature looked up, but did not approach; after a moment, she shook her head and moved on. The hatred faded; Freddy realized that the dark digidestined had brought it with her.  
  
"Wh-what was *that*?" Peter asked.  
  
"I'm not sure," Sam said, "It looked like Sora, only younger...and evil..." She sounded shaken.  
  
"She did, didn't she..." Mary mused, "Sora's crest is Love, isn't it? I wonder if this isn't somehow her opposite: Hatred."  
  
"It sure felt like it. Did anyone else feel that surge of hate as she got close?" Freddy asked pleadingly, "Please don't tell me I'm going insane."  
  
The others nodded. "Yeah, we felt it," Peter said. They shivered at the memory.  
  
"Well, we'd better get moving," Freddy said finally, "There might be more out there."  
  
"Right," Sam said, getting up, "Come on, you guys. I don't want to meet any of them, and I'll bet that you don't, either."  
  
The others stood up quickly, shouldering their packs. The little group continued moving, watchful for any sign of another dark digidestined. But after a time, when nothing appeared except birds and squirrels, they slowly began to relax. Only Freddy remained on alert, and even he could feel the calming effects of the cheerful, sunny forest.  
  
They had been traveling for hours, and were considering where to stop and make camp, when they heard footsteps on the road once more. Swiftly, they moved into the bushes with all their gear. The moment they were out of sight, another figure came along the road, from in front of them, this time. Freddy recognized the figure as his uncle Matt from pictures, but just barely; this version wore baggy black clothes with chains hanging from them, and had glowing red eyes and pasty white skin. But suddenly it didn't matter. Who cared what happened to the Whistle? It wasn't as if any of the children could really change anything. Freddy couldn't even find the will to move out of the way as the Matt-like figure approached.  
  
Suddenly, the sound of high, bell-like laughter pierced the fog of indifference that lay over the children's minds. The creature hissed menacingly and drew back a few steps, then ran off into the woods.  
  
Freddy shivered with the realization of what had almost happened. He would have to be more on his guard from now on. Next he turned his attention to the voices coming from the path behind them.  
  
Soon, the owners of the voices came into view. It was a group of Lillymon, small flowery forest digimon of the Ultimate level. The leader, upon seeing the children, stopped and said, "Oh, look! Digidestined! It's been a while since we've seen any of those!" She came closer, "Welcome to our forest! Where are you headed? Or are you just wandering?"  
  
"Um...we're headed for Gennai's house eventually, but right now, we're just looking for a campsite," Freddy told them.  
  
"Hmm..." said the Lillymon, looking at him closely, "I think there is more than that to this story. But perhaps this is not the time for it to be told. You have piqued my curiosity. Why don't you come with us? Our camp is not far from here."  
  
The kids looked at each other, then agreed to follow. Lillymon, Freddy knew, were quite trustworthy as a whole, and always foes of evil. They would have nothing more to fear tonight.  
  
The group turned off the main road, onto a faint footpath, and sure enough, they arrived at the campsite after only a brief hike. They were eagerly welcomed, and food was set out for them. The children were happy to have a fresh-cooked meal, and thus it was some time before any conversation occured. Once Freddy was done, he turned to speak to the leader, who was sitting beside him.  
  
"So, um, Lillymon," he began.  
  
"Yes?" chorused half the table, turning to look at him.  
  
"Um...I meant the one sitting next to me, actually," he said uncertainly.  
  
The others turned back to their conversations, and the leader said, "Oh, that's right you wouldn't know. Since the Digiworld was so peaceful for so long, there are a lot more digimon than there were before. To tell each other apart, when we reach Rookie stage, each of us picks a name. I'm Glinda."  
  
Freddy blinked in surprise, then shook it off. "All right, then, Glinda, I have a question. Along the road, we met a strange creature. It looked like my aunt Sora, only evil, and I hated it ferociously, without any reason at all. Then, later on, a different one appeared. This one looked like my uncle Matt, and all of a sudden, I- I didn't care about anything. Your approach frightened it off, otherwise we'd have been toast. Do you know what they were?"  
  
"I think I do...but I am not certain. Why would they have been pursuing you, do you know?" Glinda asked slowly.  
  
Freddy told her about the Whistle, and what Wizardmon had told him. "I see," said Glinda, looking at him in a new light, "Well, if Wizardmon did not speak of them, I think I won't either. I will tell you this: they are servants of the Enemy. Treat them as you have been so far; hide or run. Do *not* try to fight them. I wish I dared tell you more, but I think it unwise, lest fear keep you from your journey."  
  
"All right. Thank you, Miss Glinda."  
  
"Thank *you*, little one. You carry a great burden, and the fates of many. I only wish I could help you further." She smiled warmly, "Now I recommend that you get some sleep. You have a long road ahead of you still, if you wish to reach Gennai's house. My suggestion is to make for the town of Byte, and Digitamamon's Inn. He's not the brightest, but he's a good egg." She giggled a little, though Freddy couldn't discern the reason. He yawned, realizing how sleepy he had become.  
  
"Thanks again for the hospitality, miss. Just one more question; where do I sleep?"  
  
She smiled again, and led him to a spot a little way from the main camp. Their sleeping bags had been pulled out for them, and he was joined shortly by his friends. Glinda bowed once to them, saying, "Sleep well! We'll be up for a while yet, so we've set you apart to sleep. Most likely, we will be gone when you awake, but we'll leave food for you. Just follow the path back to the main road. Good night!"  
  
"Good night!" the children chorused sleepily. They laid themselves down, and were soon fast asleep.  
  
**************************************************************************** ******  
  
Well, now, what did I tell you? Ringwraiths and Elves! I apologize once more for the long wait; my muses, it seems, have taken an interest in Yu-gi- oh, (especially Yami ^ _ ^) and are working on something related to that. I wish they would settle down and decide what they want to do...  
  
Lily: Nyah, nyah! Can't catch me!  
  
Nina: *lurks in the shadows nearby*  
  
Sigh. You see what I mean. Oh, well.  
  
Review please! 


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